Even if you're only chipping to get rid in the green bin I think there's merit in getting one.
BTW we have one smallish, green wheelie bin. It's full every time they collect it and we still make trips to the skip. That's on a fortnightly collection schedule. Not great when you're recovering a decent sized garden after a few years of neglect.
Thing is branches are bulky and you simply can't use a lopper or shears to chop it all up like a shredder. That means your bin fills up quicker. Shredder gets more in the bin.
Of course using it is better. I think we will.
I'm looking at shredding everything I cut down from dead or dying trees to live ones I've trimmed. Or shrubs and hedges. Ideally the whole cut branch including leaves but it seems some don't like shredding leaves or green wood or dry wood or any combination of them all.
I'm looking at shredding everything I cut down from dead or dying trees to live ones I've trimmed. Or shrubs and hedges. Ideally the whole cut branch including leaves but it seems some don't like shredding leaves or green wood or dry wood or any combination of them all.
I shred just about anything that will fit into the chute of my AXT25 - branches up to 45mm wide including leaves. Soft prunings (i.e. current years growth) with leaves are no problem either.
It won't deal with shredding purely soft green stuff like dead annuals, but there's no need to shred such stuff. I've had mine since 2016, I use it 4-5 times a year and have nothing but praise for it.
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Some good stuff on here - far better to get reviews by people who've used these things, especially as you can then ask questions more specific to your own situation.
I bought the "cheaper" Bosch shredder which is an impact / spinning blade one; the Spear and Jackson one I originally saw is one of the crush/grind/quieter jobs but is huge and perhaps more suited to branches/twigs than my current use which is hedge clippings and some smaller branches (an inch max I think). The more expensive Bosch one is this type I think, and will better suit heavy use and heavy branches.
Forgive me for betraying my accountancy training but if Lizzie27's machine is anything like average, the additional c£200 over 15-20 years (£10-£15 extra per year) means that I'd put price low down in the list of considerations; bear in mind also that I've already used half a blade after a (fairly intense) 6m usage, so the £200 job with a new blade every year at £20 is actually going to be about a grand(!) over the life at that rate.
Heavy use and a big place to store it would have had me going for the bigger machine; as I've only got so much shedspace and no garage and only really need it for hedge and small branch clippings (and not many of them) meant the smaller one was the better bet. It's done the job so far - it does jam from time to time, but you learn to use it, eg by mixing up the inputs (branches alongside leafy stuff), and anyway it's very quick to clear it. Oh, and I could wait, so I did, and got it for £50 off in one of the Amazon Prime sales
@Rob Lockwood, that sounds a good deal, glad it's doing the job. The Bosch one we have doesn't use a blade, it has a central 'screw' thingy which winds the branches down, crushing them as they go and then spits the pieces out (about 1") at the bottom. If it does have a blade at the bottom, then we've never replaced it. it was under £200 at the time I think.
@Rob Lockwood Must say my AXT2200 has behaved pretty well so far and it's had a fair bit of use over the last couple of months or so. Suits me fine so thanks for your earlier "persuasive" post when I was looking to replace my old French one As you say, it's always good to have other's experiences and then adapt according to your circumstances. Happy shredding
I have bookmarked this thread because I might be looking to replace my 25 year old shredder before too long. It's served me well and I've only replaced the blade once in all those years but it might have come to the end of it's time.
After listing about what I don't like about the old machine - it jams a lot, it doesn't like green stuff at all, it only takes small diameter branches (less than 20mm), doesn't like twisty branches or side shoots and I have to painstakingly feed everything in one at a time - I think I might be looking at the AXT25TC.
There's a nice You Tube video from somebody who's used one for 7 years. He shows his annual quick 'service' routine (basically a clean, lube and sharpen) and then demonstrates putting some fairly hefty branches & side shoots through. He probably has the same level of use as me (medium size garden - fair amount of winter pruning, lots of hedge) and has not had to buy any new parts in 7 years. I think Rob's comments about purchase price plus the cost of consumable parts over a 5 - 10 year period are very valid.
My main concern is the weight for dragging it in and out of the shed (I take prunings to it (not the other way round) so don't need to lug it round the garden) but it weighs less than my lawnmower and the one I have now is quite heavy and very awkward - so it will hopefully be ok....
Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
@Doghouse Riley At the risk of adding another 2 p's worth.... perhaps consider the Ignore button if you are finding that some posts are upsetting you to the degree that you feel the need to respond in such a rude and childish manner. It's a handy function and unfortunately is becoming increasingly necessary lately. Alternatively, contact the moderators if you feel you have a valid complaint.
That's a 35 kg shredder. You need a person on each handle to lift it.
The 2200 is a rotating blade that's got a bit if weight to it which means more robustness compared to most similar machines. The bosch ones are really a better quality than other brands. They've been in the sector b longer.
The 25 D model is a rotating drum with fin like blades that grip, pull down and shred the feed material against a plate. It's a bit heavier duty than the rotating blade and it's better with different type of feed than the 2200 model.
The 25 TC has a "turbine" blade. This does similar role to the 25 D but better able to handle green, woody and leaves. To me it looks like a tapered drum with find, a tapered version of 25D. Best model from bosch I reckon. Added benefits are interlock sensors on the storage bin where the shredder won't work unless the bin is correctly fixed under the shredder. A safety feature often seen and required on industrial machines. We use them and light bar versions at work.
@Doghouse Riley At the risk of adding another 2 p's worth.... perhaps consider the Ignore button if you are finding that some posts are upsetting you to the degree that you feel the need to respond in such a rude and childish manner. It's a handy function and unfortunately is becoming increasingly necessary lately. Alternatively, contact the moderators if you feel you have a valid complaint.
Err.
I don't get upset, what made you think that?
I made a general comment directed at no one in particular and you made a pointless nitpicking post directed at me.
I pointed it out to you and now you're whinging about it because I did?
Put me on ignore if you want to, or complain to a moderator, I don't mind either way.
Posts
BTW we have one smallish, green wheelie bin. It's full every time they collect it and we still make trips to the skip. That's on a fortnightly collection schedule. Not great when you're recovering a decent sized garden after a few years of neglect.
Thing is branches are bulky and you simply can't use a lopper or shears to chop it all up like a shredder. That means your bin fills up quicker. Shredder gets more in the bin.
Of course using it is better. I think we will.
I'm looking at shredding everything I cut down from dead or dying trees to live ones I've trimmed. Or shrubs and hedges. Ideally the whole cut branch including leaves but it seems some don't like shredding leaves or green wood or dry wood or any combination of them all.
It won't deal with shredding purely soft green stuff like dead annuals, but there's no need to shred such stuff.
I've had mine since 2016, I use it 4-5 times a year and have nothing but praise for it.
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
The Bosch one we have doesn't use a blade, it has a central 'screw' thingy which winds the branches down, crushing them as they go and then spits the pieces out (about 1") at the bottom. If it does have a blade at the bottom, then we've never replaced it. it was under £200 at the time I think.
As you say, it's always good to have other's experiences and then adapt according to your circumstances. Happy shredding
After listing about what I don't like about the old machine - it jams a lot, it doesn't like green stuff at all, it only takes small diameter branches (less than 20mm), doesn't like twisty branches or side shoots and I have to painstakingly feed everything in one at a time - I think I might be looking at the AXT25TC.
There's a nice You Tube video from somebody who's used one for 7 years. He shows his annual quick 'service' routine (basically a clean, lube and sharpen) and then demonstrates putting some fairly hefty branches & side shoots through. He probably has the same level of use as me (medium size garden - fair amount of winter pruning, lots of hedge) and has not had to buy any new parts in 7 years. I think Rob's comments about purchase price plus the cost of consumable parts over a 5 - 10 year period are very valid.
Mainly for my own reference the You Tube video Link is
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1y410OOy_E0
My main concern is the weight for dragging it in and out of the shed (I take prunings to it (not the other way round) so don't need to lug it round the garden) but it weighs less than my lawnmower and the one I have now is quite heavy and very awkward - so it will hopefully be ok....
The 2200 is a rotating blade that's got a bit if weight to it which means more robustness compared to most similar machines. The bosch ones are really a better quality than other brands. They've been in the sector b longer.
The 25 D model is a rotating drum with fin like blades that grip, pull down and shred the feed material against a plate. It's a bit heavier duty than the rotating blade and it's better with different type of feed than the 2200 model.
The 25 TC has a "turbine" blade. This does similar role to the 25 D but better able to handle green, woody and leaves. To me it looks like a tapered drum with find, a tapered version of 25D. Best model from bosch I reckon. Added benefits are interlock sensors on the storage bin where the shredder won't work unless the bin is correctly fixed under the shredder. A safety feature often seen and required on industrial machines. We use them and light bar versions at work.